Inhumanity
by Silmarilz1701
Summary: All she wanted was for the voices to stop. Elle had never intended to get wrapped up in this madness, but she did, and now she's paired up with the Avengers, discovering her true nature, and trying to manage her new powers - all because of her own suicide attempt. M for amt. of psychological drama.
1. Inhumanity

Prologue

_Dear Mom,_

_When you find me, don't blame yourself. There's nothing you could've done for me, trust in that. I accepted a long time ago that there was something wrong with me, something deep inside. And you know what, I'm done coping with that knowledge. I've reached the end, mom. The pain is unbearable. These voices inside me, they tell me to hurt people. I don't want to hurt people, mom! If I let them talk to me any longer, they'll take over my mind. I'm sure of it. If I don't stop them now, I will never manage to ever again. So don't worry, your daughter is going to a happier place, mommy. I love you._

_Elle Daring_

The red-headed girl signed the note carefully as tears rolled down her face. A few drops landed on the lined-paper and she quickly tried to wipe them off. It didn't work. Oh well. She didn't care anymore. In fact, she didn't care about much of anything anymore.

Elle sighed again and went over to her dresser. Pulling out the bottom drawer, she fished through her underwear until she came upon a sharp razor. Slipping it in her pocket, Elle quickly went to her bathroom. Reaching up to the medicine cabinet she opened up the mirror and took out several bottles of medicines. Putting ten of each kind into a baggie, Elle put the bottles back where they were.

Her plan was fool-proof. Several days previous, Elle had scouted out how far the stream in their backyard went, finding that the source was about a mile away at a small spring and shallow pool. There she would take the pills and slit her wrists, ending the voices in her head for good. She didn't care anymore about how it would hurt her mother; she'd get over it.

Walking downstairs, Elle snuck out her back door and into the yard. It was about a twenty minute walk to the source of the river, and she got their without a hitch. Elle breathed in deeply; it was almost over. At last she saw the bubbling spring and little pool of clear water.

She could hear the voices in her head telling her both not to kill herself and to kill herself. It was so confusing. She couldn't figure out which was HER voice and not these unfamiliar voices. Elle let out a frustrated scream before she remembered she was only a mile from the nearest house!

Pulling off her shirt and shorts, she waded into the water in her bathing suit. It was a deceptively deep pool of water, about five feet in total. Maybe at one time it was created by some well digger who abandoned the project after not very long. Whatever the case, Elle shoved the pills into her mouth and took a drink of the spring water. It tingled, which Elle felt was a little odd.

Next she pulled out her switchblade and slowly cut vertically up her arm and horizontally across her wrists. It hurt like hell, but that didn't stop Elle Daring. She wanted the end to come, swiftly and without hesitation.

But again, she felt a tingling sensation in her body. Something was wrong? Nevertheless, before she could do anything, Elle blacked out. Finally she was going to meet her maker.

But then she woke up.

When Elle opened her eyes, she was staring up at a stark white ceiling. As her eyes journeyed around the room she found that it had grey walls and a single grey and glass sliding door with a small, nine button panel lock. She was sitting on a medical bed, a white sheet covering her body. On her wrists were two small bandages and she had an IV sticking out of her right arm. Machines were beeping all around her.

But in all this, Elle noted only one thing- her voices were still there, but they were new, different. It was more like she was listening to people around her than voices inside her head. But that couldn't be of course.

_"__She's stable, Director. Would you three like to see her?"_

_"__Yes Doctor."_

_"__Right this way, sirs."_

They weren't even talking sense! Doctor? Director? See who?

Moments later her door opened up and in stepped four people. One was black, one of his eyes covered in an eye-patch. The second was a woman with short red hair and a serious expression. The third was a man with light brown hair. Finally the fourth was a doctor of some sort.

"Miss Daring," the eye-patched one said, "I'm Director Fury, of SHIELD."

"Why am I here," Elle whined, making herself small.

Men intimidated her- she'd been abused by her father as a young girl, leading to her developing voices. She'd never shaken her fear of men, even after her father abandoned Elle and her mother.

"You were exposed to something dangerous, Elle," the Director revealed, "Something that concerns me and my colleagues."

"What is SHIELD?"

"SHIELD is an international government peace-keeping organization," the blonde told her.

"Who are you two," she asked shyly of the blonde and the red-head.

"I'm Agent Barton."

"Agent Romanoff."

"Why am I still alive? Why couldn't you let me die!"

Elle had tears streaming down her face as she shouted this. She ripped out her IV and got off her bed, cowering into a corner, shaking with anger and fear. The government had her. What did they want with her? Why wasn't she dead? Or at least back home with her mom in the hospital. Where was her mom? Was she here somewhere?

Suddenly things around the room began to shake. The door slammed of its own accord, shutting in the four SHIELD members. The female doctor scrambled forward.

"Please, Elle, you must try to concentrate."

"What's happening," the girl whispered in fear, "What is going on?"

"Listen, Elle," the Director stepped forward, "You were exposed to something called the Terrigen Mists. It altered who you are. It gave you special gifts- that's why you're here. To learn to control them!"

"What?!"

The IV tubes began floating in the air. Elle screamed, jumping back.

"Concentrate on my voice," the Doctor told her patiently, "I'm going to keep talking to you. Just listen to me."

_"__This is never going to work."_

_"__She's insane."_

_"__The Terrigen Mists altered her too much."_

_"__Could this girl really join our team?"_

_"__Pass me the needle over here, Agent Brandy."_

_"__So me and Sharon went on a date last night."_

_"__The latest one I've created is the Mark 52."_

"It's hard," Elle whined, "There are so many other voices."

"If you listen to my voice, the voices will die down, Elle," she said.

Elle did as she was asked and slowly the items in the room returned to their original positions. The voices in her head did die down and turned into a slow, quiet murmur like that of white noise. The last thing she remembered before fainting was Agent Barton telling her something about the Avengers.

It was Natasha who caught the girl.

Clint rolled his eyes, "This is never going to work, Director."

"She's insane," Natasha nodded.

"The Terrigen Mists altered her a lot," the doctor told them.

"When Coulson found her she was just beginning to regenerate," Director Fury told his two agents, "We believe her mutations so far to be telepathy, telekinesis, and spontaneous regeneration."

"So," Clint shrugged, "What's that got to do with us?"

"When she finds out about her mother, she's going to need guidance. I'm placing her under both of your supervision."

"Have the cry- wait what," Natasha asked in surprise.

"Under OUR supervision," Clint was stunned, "Like, with the Avengers?"

"That's exactly what I mean."

"No way Director," Clint shook his head.

"Sir, is that really the best idea," Natasha protested.

Director Fury eyed them seriously, "It's an order, is that understood?"

"Aye, sir," they both nodded.

"Now, what were you going to ask, Romanoff?"

"I was wondering if we'd returned the crystals to the Inhumans yet?"

"Yes, they received their crystals and have left for Attilan already," Fury nodded.

"And they agreed to leave the girl here," Natasha was surprised!

Fury nodded, "She may be an Inhuman by birth, but she's a Terran by culture," they told me."


	2. Voices

Elle's eyes fluttered open slowly and as she looked around the room she found that it was the same place she'd awoken in earlier. She tried to remember what had happened.

Suddenly, the voices flew back into her consciousness.

_"__She's going to be with the Avengers?"_

_"__Is that… legal?"_

_"__Afraid so."_

_"__What the eye-patch says, goes, then?"_

_"__Yes, Stark. Whatever Fury orders us is what we do."_

Concentrate, she reminded herself. Concentrate on the sounds around her. Slowly the voices died down, reducing themselves to an ever-present buzz beneath her mental conversation. Occasionally a voice would break through but all Elle would have to do was breathe deeply and concentrate. Suddenly there came a knock at the door, disrupting the calming peace and quiet Elle was enjoying. In came the female doctor whose name Elle still didn't know, followed by the man named Agent Barton.

"Miss Daring, I'm going to have to ask you a few questions," the doctor said, pulling up a chair as Agent Barton leaned against the wall and watched in silence.

"Okay."

"Please answer fully and honestly," the doctor told her sincerely, "In the past twenty-four hours, have you had suicidal ideations?"

"Yes," the question caught Elle off guard.

"In the past twenty-four hours, have you attempted suicide?"

"Yes."

"Right now, do you have any thoughts of hurting yourself?"

"Yes."

"Thoughts of hurting others?"

"No."

"Thoughts of trying to kill yourself?"

"Kind of."

"Explain," the doctor asked.

"Passing thoughts," Elle revealed, "but nothing serious, I don't think."

"Do you have a suicide plan?"

"No."

"Are you hearing any voices?"

"Yes."

"Elaborate."

"It's like I can hear conversations," Elle supposed, "Almost like I can listen to other people's thoughts. Not like how I used to hear voices. This is different."

Elle noticed how intently Agent Barton was listening to her answers. She wondered why he was in here with the doctor.

"Are you hallucinating in any way? Seeing things that aren't there?"

"No."

"Do you have any life plans?"

"No."

"Do you have a reason for living?"

"No."

"Alright," the doctor smiled, "Thank you Elle. That's all for right now."

With that, the Doctor and Agent Barton left the room, leaving Elle by herself. She settled back to take a quick nap.

"Doc," Clint asked the Doctor as they walked side by side, "What's her level?"

"She's a Moderate right now," the doctor told Clint.

"So can she go back with us to Avengers Tower?"

"Not right away," she shook her head, "but I'd like to introduce her to you all as soon as possible, one or two at a time. That way it isn't a huge shock to her when you take her with you."

"When are you going to tell her about her mom," Clint asked.

The doctor pushed her hair out of her face, "When she's on Low. Finding out her mom killed herself could really set the girl back a level, and I don't want her getting to Severe. Moderate is high enough."

"Alright," Clint nodded, "Thanks doc. Make sure you file the report directly to Fury."

"Of course, Agent Barton," she smiled, "By the way, isn't it time for your yearly physical?"

"What's that I hear," Clint faked, "Romanoff? Sorry, Doc, gotta go!"

"I'll make sure to see you before you guys leave the Helicarrier," the doctor called after Clint.

Clint was gone around the corner.

"The trouble is always with the top agents," she shook her head.

Clint went down to the Rec Room in the Helicarrier and found the other Avengers were still there along with Coulson and his team. Several people were playing pool while Tony and Steve were going at a game of chess. Agents Ward, Coulson, and Triplett watched a game of soccer on the giant flat-screen TV. When Clint walked in, Tony and Steve looked up.

"What's the word, bird," Tony joked.

Clint rolled his eyes, "The girl is a Moderate on the medical risk scale for suicidality. Ergo, she can't leave the Helicarrier yet. So we're here until she's down to Low."

"How was she coping with her abilities," Natasha asked, coming over from where she'd been watching the pool game.

Clint shrugged, "She still hasn't caught on- she thinks it's a variation of her old voices. I'm guessing Director Fury's going to have us brief her on her mutations pretty soon."

"What are they again," Tony asked, "And how come she has them? And speaking of her, how the hell did SHIELD find her in the first place!"

Coulson stepped up to the little group, abandoning the soccer game. He'd explain.

"Let me start from the beginning. About two weeks ago, we had an envoy of extraterrestrials called the Inhumans land on Earth. They were approached by SHIELD and were found to be friendlies. They told us their mission was simple: obtain a rogue crystal called a Terrigen Crystal that belonged on Attilan, their home planet, but had been misplaced hundreds of thousands of years ago and only now had been located on Earth."

"All that for a crystal," Steve asked.

Coulson nodded, "The crystal emits a colorless, odorless gas known as the Terrigen Mist. When an Inhuman is exposed to the substance, whether in its gaseous or liquid states, the Inhuman experiences mutations. Anyways, we swept the planet for the unique signature of the gas and when we located it, Fury sent me and my team in to retrieve it. When we got to the location, we found a girl submersed in water, blood all over the place. But the wounds on her arms had already begun to heal."

"So you think that the Terrigen Mist was in the water and got into her bloodstream via the slit wrists," Bruce supposed.

"Exactly," Coulson nodded, "When we ran a DNA test of the girl, we found her DNA matched that of the Inhumans. However they seemed wary of her and insisted she remain on Earth instead of return to Attilan with them."

"And her powers?"

"Telepathy, Telekinesis, and Cellular Regeneration."

"Right," Tony nodded.

She'd woken from her nap. Fury had been notified by the medical staff and he in turn contacted Agents Romanoff and Barton. They were to brief her on her newfound abilities. Barton knocked on her door.

"Elle," Natasha asked calmly, "It's me and Agent Barton, can we come in?"

"I suppose," the girl said warily.

Natasha and Clint walked inside and pulled up two chairs near her bedside. They took their seats and Natasha spoke first.

"Elle, my name is Natasha, and I'm called the Black Widow. This here is Clint, he's called Hawkeye. We're members of the-"

"-Avengers," Elle said, shocked. She tried to sit up more.

"Yes," Clint nodded.

"We're here to tell you something very serious. We need you to hear us out until the very end, okay," Natasha told her.

"Okay…"

"When you tried to kill yourself, you were exposed to a dangerous substance," Clint started, "This substance had a special effect on you."

"What do you mean?"

"It gave you certain powers," Natasha revealed, "Telepathy, Telekinesis, and Cellular Regeneration- which is why you didn't die."

"That's also why you hear the voices you hear," Clint added, "You're listening to others' thoughts."

"Wait, what," Elle shook her head, "No. No you can't be right."

"We're telling the truth, Elle," Natasha insisted, "Think about it. You know we're right. How else can we explain how you're still alive?"

"Or the voices," Clint added.

"We'll leave you alone to think about it," Natasha told her, pulling Clint out of the room with her.

Elle was left by herself, unsure of what to think. Cellular Regeneration? That meant she couldn't die, right? Or at least be killed. That wasn't fair, damn it. She WANTED to die! She WANTED to leave this wretched Earth behind!

There was only one way to test their theory. She had to kill herself. That would prove them wrong! So she searched her room and eventually came upon a hidden scalpel. Taking it, she drove it deep into her forearm, cutting up her arm vertically. She sliced her wrist open once again, before doing the other arm as well. Then, she stuck the scalpel into the lock on the door, shorting it. No one was getting in or out for a long time. This would show them. She could die.

She _had_ to be able to die.


	3. Bleeding Out

"Elle, Elle open up," Doctor Blaize, Elle's doctor, insisted. She pounded on the door, "You need help!"

Elle didn't respond. She was too busy watching the blood pour from her arms.

The Avengers, having been alerted to Elle's suicide attempt, came running. Clint came a little bit later than the others as he had stopped in the armory to grab a blow-torch. They needed to open the door somehow.

Elle sighed, she was going to die. This was what she wanted.

"Elle, damn it! Open the damn door," Clint yelled before turning on the blow torch.

Elle suddenly screamed. Her arms- they were beginning to heal. The blood was ending, her skin was patching itself together. She screamed again.

"NO!"

They heard her screaming and wondered what was wrong. By the time Clint got the door open, all they saw was Elle kneeling in the middle of a pool of blood, holding her arm, muttering "no" over and over again. The Avengers stared at her as Doctor Blaize rushed in to tend to Elle. Natasha knew what it was like- what it was like to try to kill yourself and not be able to.

"I- I'm a freak," she whined to no one in particular.

It was like she couldn't see them. She looked past the doctor into nowhere, instead letting her eyes rest on the wall. She sobbed into the Doctor's shoulder. All they caught was "I want my mom."

"Your mom is dead," Clint spilled, "She died yesterday."

"What," the girl looked up in surprise. She stopped her sobbing and was just… silent.

The doctor glared at Clint but he shrugged. Now was as good a time as any to drop the bomb. He figured she couldn't get any lower than she was now, as it were.

"She's dead?"

"I'm afraid so, darling," the doctor nodded, "But you can't focus on that. Focus on getting better."

"Getting better? I'm a freak, a monster!"

"No, you're just different from humans," Natasha insisted, coming closer, "You're a special kind of person known as an Inhuman. You're not human, you're normal for your kind of being."

"I'm an alien?"

"Yes," Clint nodded, following Natasha over to her, "But that's okay. In fact, it's kind of cool."

"What happens now," Elle asked, sniffling.

The Doctor sighed, "I've spoken with Director Fury, and he insists you be discharged tomorrow. As long as Dr. Banner agrees to supervise your treatment and psychological level, you will be going home with the Avengers tomorrow."

"I want to go home," she whined.

"We can't let you do that," Natasha shook her head, "There's no one to go home to, Elle."

"Why can't I die," she muttered.

"You were exposed to a substance that caused you to mutate," Clint reminded her about what Director Fury had told her earlier, "You're also a telepath and a telekinetic."

"I guess that's kind of cool," she murmured, trying to feel better.

"Come on, hun," Dr. Blaize comforted, "Let's get you cleaned up. Would you like to shower?"

"Yes please."

"Alright. Because you're on Severe now, I'll have to stand in the bathroom with you, is that okay?"

"I guess," Elle sighed, defeated.

"Okay," The doctor gave her a little smile, "Come on."

The Avengers retreated out of the room as Elle was escorted to the showers. They departed from Sickbay and returned to the Rec Room.

"That girl has real issues," Tony mumbled as they walked into the room.

Coulson hopped up from the couch, "Was she okay?"

"She is now," Clint nodded.

"What happened," Coulson asked.

Natasha shook her head, "It seems that Elle wasn't okay with the idea of not being able to die, so she tested it out herself."

"Elle just needs time," Bruce insisted, "She'll be okay."

"The doctor is taking her to shower and clean up," Clint told Coulson, "Then my guess is she either takes a nap or comes down here to meet us."

As it turned out, she did decide to take a nap. She was exhausted from trying to kill herself and then failing. The emotional roller coaster of the past few days was finally catching up with her. While she slept she had a series of nightmares, all involving her mom. Finally, when she woke up, it sunk in that her mom was gone. When doctors and nurses tried to engage in conversation with her, she merely tuned them out. At last, Doctor Blaize came back in and relieved one of the nurses from guard duty.

"Come with me, Elle," she beckoned, "There are some people you need to meet."

Elle respected Dr. Blaize. As such, Elle got up from her bed and slipped on her slippers. She followed the doctor through the hallways until they came to a room labeled "Recreation Room 2." Inside where six people, two that she knew already as Agent Barton and Agent Romanoff. Also known as Hawkeye and Black Widow.

"Elle, these are the Avengers. They want to meet you before you get shipped off to live with them tomorrow."

"Hello Elle," Steve nodded, extending his hand, "I'm Steve."

She took it and shook his hand. Her hand was tiny compared to his.

"Tony," the billionaire greeted, also shaking her hand.

"Elle Daring," she nodded.

"I'm Dr. Bruce Banner."

"We've already met," Clint smiled, "But call me Clint."

"And I'm Natasha."

Coulson shuffled his feet, "I'm not an Avenger, but I will be checking in with you periodically. I'm Phil Coulson."

Elle nodded. It was all overwhelming. She was meeting the Avengers, THE Avengers. She may have lived in Maine, but she knew all about the Avengers and what they did for the world. Tony Stark alone had been a staple hero in America for many years now. Even now, three years after the New York invasion, the Avengers were always there. Thor had saved London not too long ago, after all.

"So," Elle sighed, "I'm to live with you all?"

"That's the plan," Tony nodded, "That okay with you?"

"Not like I have much of a choice," she pointed out.

"Fair enough," Tony agreed.

"Hopefully we can all learn to get along," Bruce insisted.

Elle sighed, "It's not like anything I do can hurt me."

"Well they will make sure of that," Doctor Blaize told her, "After all, for now, you're on Severe. Which means someone must be with you at all times."

Well, that was going to be interesting…


	4. So Many Voices

_A/N: I meant to get this out two nights ago, but unfortunately this hit a little close to home and it began triggering my own latent self-harm tendancies. I've been a month and a half free, and I didn't want to risk triggering it. I try to put myself in a character/person's skin, as Atticus Finch said, and sometimes writing these intense characters is dangerous. I'm obviously not completely over my depression._

* * *

Clint piloted their Quinjet back to Avengers Tower the next day. Elle was silent the entire trip, which wasn't more than an hour or two long. She faked sleep for most of it. When they landed, she finally spoke up.

"Agent Barton-"

"-Clint."

"Clint," she tried again, "How did my mother die?"

Silence.

"She killed herself, Elle. After she found your note."

Elle nodded slightly and got off the Quinjet in silence. She followed Tony and Steve who were out first and was followed by Clint, Natasha, and Bruce.

Pepper was waiting inside when they got there. She kissed Tony and then turned to the others, her eyes wandering to Elle. She looked at Tony in confusion.

"Who's this?"

"Elle Daring," Natasha introduced her when the girl remained silent, "she's under our supervision from now until further notice."

"We're not set up for kids," Pepper frowned, "How old are you?"

No answer.

"She's 15," Clint told Pepper finally.

Pepper nodded in frustration. Why wouldn't this girl talk?

"Come on, Pep, I'll explain everything later," Tony whispered, "just let her be."

"Fine."

"Coulson is having your personal effects brought from your house tonight," Natasha told Elle, "Until then we can set you up in one of the guest suites, right Pepper?"

"Of course," Pepper nodded, "How about level 39. That's below Natasha's suite."

Elle shrugged, "Okay."

"She speaks," Tony smiled.

Elle's cheeks grew bright red as she shuffled her feet subconsciously. She just wanted to go to her room.

"May I be excused?"

"Someone has to go with you," Bruce reminded her, "I'll go."

After several moments of staring Bruce down, Elle nodded and all but ran to the elevator. Bruce stepped in carefully behind her and pressed Level 39. They rode it silently up to the 39th floor, and as soon as the doors opened, Elle hopped outside. She opened the door at the end of the short hallway and ran inside. Spotting the bed, she slowly pulled herself onto it, sitting down cross-legged on top of the comforters.

Bruce, wandering in a few moments later grabbed a book off a book shelf and sat down on a couch in the same room as Elle. He settled to reading it as the girl merely sat on her bed and stared forward.

Elle, soon enough, let her eyes dart around the room. She had the urge, the urge to cut. It was so strong, so palpable. She needed the pain, the anguish, the torment. The urge consumed her like a festering wound. Her eye movements became more erratic, faster and less on point. Finally she spotted a pen on her bedside table. The spring inside, that would work!

Slowly, she reached for it. Bruce was too engaged in his reading to realize what was going on, or so she thought. But just as her hand closed around the writing utensil, Bruce spoke up.

"Don't do it."

"Do what," Elle asked innocently.

Bruce looked over his book at the girl. She sighed and dropped the pen before getting under the covers with a huff and a sigh. Pulling the blanket up over her head, she allowed herself a few minutes rest.

Meanwhile, the rest of the team was hanging in the lounge.

"So who is this kid," Pepper asked expectantly.

"She's what's called an Inhuman," Clint explained, "An alien species with unique abilities that vary depending on the specimen."

"What can she do?"

"Well, her powers have just been activated," Natasha went on to explain, "But so far she seems to have super-human regenerative powers, telepathy, and telekinesis."

"Why is she here?"

"Her parents are dead or unreachable, she's just gotten her powers and needs supervision," Natasha said, "and she just tried, twice, to kill herself."

"What," Pepper gaped, "We have a suicidal, superhuman teenage girl now to look after?"

"Officially, it's Natasha's and my jobs," Clint replied, "but Fury asked everyone to pitch in."

"I suppose so," Pepper nodded, finally over the shock, "but how? This won't be easy."

"As a team," Steve insisted, "We can do this. She needs to be shown love and support."

"Well this will be fun," Tony sighed.

Natasha rolled her eyes, "Come on Stark, it won't be that bad. Clint and I have to try to teach her to use her powers!"

"Shouldn't Fury call in a telepath to do that," Pepper pointed out.

"Fury's working on that," Clint told her, "But until one can be located and pulled off a mission, it's up to us."

Pepper nodded, "Alright. Well then, what do we need to do?"

As it turned out, all they really needed to do was wait. Before long, their quiet peace was interrupted by Jarvis.

"Sirs, Dr. Banner requires immediate assistance in Miss Daring's quarters."

They Avengers, and Pepper, exchanged looks before bolting to the elevator. They rode it up to Elle's floor and ran down the tiny hallway to where Elle's bedroom was. Looking inside, they found Elle gripping her head and kneeling on the floor, screaming. Bruce was over by her, but it was obvious his stress level was up, and thus his pulse.

"Get the voices out! Get them out!"

Clint and Natasha, followed by Tony and Steve, rushed forward and told Bruce to go wait with Pepper so he could calm down.

"What do we do," Tony asked helplessly as they stared at the girl writhing on the floor.

Objects around the room began shaking as if moved by an imperceptible force.

"Concentrate, Elle," Natasha spoke calmly and forcefully, kneeling down right in front of the girl.

Natasha knew what it was like to feel like you were going insane. To have another person in your head. Clint knew it too. While it wasn't exactly the same with the telepath, at least it was a starting point. Natasha hoped she could reach the girl before she had to knock her out.

"Concentrate."

Elle quieted down, but she was still grabbing at her hair and whimpering.

"Concentrate."

Elle slowly let go of her hair and let her arms fall to her side as she knelt on the floor.

"Shhh, that's it. Concentrate."

Elle slowly opened her eyes, "There were so many- so many voices."


	5. The Nightmares

Elle was sitting in her room, newly refurbished with materials from her old house. They had been delivered several hours previous and now it was nearly two in the morning. She was merely sitting there, watching the blank wall in front of her. She wasn't tired. Well, maybe she was. But she didn't want to sleep. When she slept, her dreams were filled with the voices of others.

"Elle," Clint said spot in the corner, "Go to sleep, kid."

She didn't respond. She was too busy trying to sort through the voices in her head. They were overwhelming her again, and it was hard to concentrate on anything else. Right now, they were limited to the Avengers.

_"__This kid sounds crazy."_

_"__She's never going to make it another week without breaking."_

_"__Nothing we do will be able to help her."_

_"__Her transformation is too extreme."_

_"__What are the Avengers going to look like, hanging with a child."_

"If it's so helpless, how come you put up with me," she muttered angrily, hurt by the unrestrained comments of the people in the tower.

Clint narrowed his eyes, trying to figure out what Elle meant, but in the meantime, Elle continued trying to block out the voices. However, it merely increased her range. She heard the baby crying in the building next door, the couple having sex in the basement of the nearest high-rise. Then she came across a man abusing his daughter.

_"__Leave me alone, please, daddy!"_

_"__You little piece of shit. Come 'ere you."_

_"__No, no, daddy! I'm sorry!"_

_*whack*_

"NO!"

A knife from Clint's belt flew out of his possession and into Elle's outstretched hand. She couldn't sit by as a man abused his child. She'd been the victim of such an assault. Her reaction was purely instinctual, and she stared in confusion at the knife in her hand.

"Elle," Clint warned, "Drop the knife."

Elle did as she was told and dropped it. It landed on her bed. Clint, coming over, quickly grabbed it and placed it back in his belt holder.

"What was wrong," he asked her slowly.

"Why would you care," she bit back.

He was taken off guard, "We're here to help you."

"No you're not. I can hear what you and the Avengers are thinking. You think I'm some lost cause, a girl who's better off dead. Well, I just want to be left alone! I want to live a normal life, but I can't anymore. The voices are too strong! At least my other voices are gone, but I don't LIKE these new powers, Agent Barton!"

"Clint," he reminded her, "Call me Clint."

"You don't understand what it's like!"

"Actually," Clint shook his head, "I sort of do. There was a time when I was being controlled by Loki and I heard voices. A lot of voices. It was the most disturbing thing I've ever experienced. Maybe I don't understand what it's like to be telepathic, but I can sympathize."

"You were controlled," Elle asked, curious.

"Yeah," Clint nodded, "It wasn't my best time. I still have nightmares about it."

At the word nightmares, Elle shivered. Clint, ever the perceptive one, quickly picked up on it.

"Nightmares," he said again, "Is that why you won't go to sleep?"

"I have them every night," she revealed.

Clint pulled the chair closer to her bed, "What about?"

"Different things," Elle told him quietly, "Sometimes it's other people's dreams because of the telepathy. But even before I got these powers, I'd have dreams about my dad."

"Was he mean?"

"He abused me," she mumbled with a nod.

Clint nodded, "My dad used to beat me and my brother before he died. I was only four at the time. Then me and my brother were placed in foster care. We ran away when I was ten."

"Your dad beat you?"

"Yeah."

Elle looked at him with newfound respect. This person she could relate to.

"You really should get to bed, Elle."

"Alright, Clint. I'll try."

He went back over to his corner of the room and sat down, looking away as she changed into her pajamas. He apologized for having to stay with her while she slept, admitting that he wasn't all that fond of the rules revolving around her, but also telling her he had no choice.

"It's for your safety," he reminded her.

In the morning, Elle woke up to find that Natasha Romanoff was the one in her room.

"We traded off about two hours ago so Clint could grab some sleep," Natasha told her, "How was your sleep?"

"Good," Elle lied.

Natasha could tell she was lying but said nothing about it. It wasn't her place.

"Breakfast is downstairs as soon as you're ready. You don't need to change if you don't want to. Those PJs look pretty comfy."

Elle nodded and pulled her brown hair back into a messy bun before slipping on some slippers and following Natasha down the hall to the elevator. They hopped inside and took the machine down to the kitchen where breakfast was taken in the mornings.

"Good morning, Elle," Steve smiled at her.

She nodded shyly and took a spot at the other end, the empty end, of the table. Natasha asked her what she wanted.

"Do you have Cheerios?"

"Apple Cinnamon or Multi-grain?"

"Multi-grain please. And a cup of milk?"

"Sure."

Natasha fixed her breakfast and laid it out before the young teenager before she herself got food. Natasha poured herself a bowl of cereal with milk as well and got herself a black coffee too. Natasha kept an eye on the child discreetly, watching her eating habits for signs of discomfort.

Elle, sensing Natasha's thoughts, tried to ignore them. She did her best to concentrate on her food and for the most part, she managed to block out the thoughts of the Avengers in the tower. All she knew was that Pepper was up and in the shower, Tony was still in bed, Bruce was in the lab, Clint was asleep, Steve was thinking about the internet and the wonders of it, and Natasha, of course, was watching Elle.

It seemed to Elle that her powers came in waves. At times she could control it, but at other times, she couldn't.

All of a sudden, Elle's spoon flew up and hit her in the face, on its own accord.

"Ouch!"

"Are you okay," Steve asked in concern.

"Yeah," she muttered, reaching down to pick the spoon off the floor.

But instead it flew up into her hand.

"My guess is that's your telekinesis taking hold," Natasha told the girl, "Try controlling it."

In response, Elle closed her eyes for a moment and imagined her glass of milk flying to her mouth. It did as such, but was much too fast, and spilled milk all over Elle. In frustration, the girl grunted in anger and got up from the table. Natasha quickly followed her upstairs to her room where Elle quickly changed into a new outfit.

"Sorry," she muttered to Natasha, "I didn't mean to spill, or to leave like that."

"No, it's fine. I get it."

"I'm trying, really I am, to be a pleasant guest. To not be a hopeless cause," she teared up, "But it's hard!"

Natasha nodded, "We understand."


	6. Dark Past

Elle changed into a nice white blouse and a pair of dark jeans. Natasha waited for her at the door and nodded when she was ready to go downstairs.

"We got news last night," Natasha told her as they walked side-by-side down the hall, "Agent Ellis Love is being sent to Avengers Tower to help you. She's a telepath and telekinetic."

"When will she get here," Elle asked excitedly. Maybe this was someone who could help her!

"Tomorrow night, around midnight."

"So I'll see her in two days," Elle nodded, "Cool. Is she nice?"

"Nice enough I suppose," Natasha nodded, "She's coming with a friend of ours, Sharon Carter. Agent Carter is very nice. She might be able to help too. I know of your fear of men, and I figured having another strong woman around might help you."

"Thank you," Elle smiled softly, "You're too kind."

"I've had my fair share of a bad past," Natasha grew darker, "I'm trying to fix what I messed up in my own life."

Elle nodded.

"Well, Until then, do you think you can handle the stress," Natasha asked as they walked out of the elevator and into the kitchen.

"I can try."

"That's all we ask."

Elle and Natasha took their seats at the table again. Steve had cleaned up the spilled milk and finished his breakfast before heading down to workout. Natasha was curious about something.

"So Elle, have you actually tried to read someone's mind yet?"

"Tried? No."

"Why not?"

Elle sighed, she wasn't sure. Why would she?

"It never occurred to me."

Natasha shrugged, "I'm going to head downstairs to stretch. Do you want to come?"

"Can I- Can I try using my telepathy?"

"Sure," Natasha nodded.

Elle slowly closed her eyes and began to filter the voices in her head. She was searching for the various Avengers. She found Clint was still asleep, Tony was thinking about his latest armor, Pepper was thinking about Elle, Bruce was concentrating on his experiment, and finally Steve was counting while doing his exercises.

"I can hear everyone," she smiled, "Every one of you."

"So, do you want to come with me, or should I drop you off with Bruce. It's his turn to watch you."

"I don't want to bother you anymore," Elle told Natasha, "I can go with Dr. Banner."

"Alright."

They walked to the elevator and Elle and Natasha took it up to Bruce's R&D lab. When they got there, Bruce was just recording some calculations as his experiment finished. He was doing some math work when he looked up to find the two girls walking inside.

"Good morning, you two."

"Good morning, Dr. Banner," Elle nodded hesitantly.

"I'll see you two later," Natasha smiled, walking back to the elevator and taking it to the gym.

"Elle, I'm glad you're here," Bruce nodded, "I need to do your psyche evaluation."

Elle nodded silently and took a seat on a stool nearby.

"In the past twenty-four hours have you thought about killing yourself?"

"Yes."

"Have you thought about harming yourself?"

"Yes."

"Do you have a suicide plan?"

"No."

"Have you attempted suicide in the past twenty-four hours?"

"No."

"Have you harmed yourself in the past twenty-four hours?"

"No."

"Have you seen things that weren't there?"

"No."

Bruce looked up encouragingly and continued.

"Have you heard things that weren't there?"

"We know I hear voices, Dr."

"Besides your telepathy."

"No."

Elle gestured for him to continue.

"Do you have a reason for living?"

That damn question again. Of all the questions in the psych-eval, that one was the worst. It was the most insulting, the one that rubbed in the fact that she was depressed. It reminded her every time that she was a failure.

"No. No reason for living."

* * *

"How is she doing," Clint asked Bruce later as they sat in the lounge.

Bruce shrugged, "She could be worse, but I'm not going to lie- she's pretty bad."

"But she's alive, at least," Clint told him quietly.

Bruce nodded, "It's strange, the girl is fine around Natasha, but she clams up around us men."

Clint nodded.

"You know why, don't you," Bruce smirked.

"Yep."

"And you're not going to tell me?"

"Nope."

Bruce nodded, "Alright. Keep your secrets. That's fine with me. I may not be a psychologist, but I can tell PTSD when I see it. Something happened to her when she was young, something serious."

Elle was lying in her bed, Steve taking his turn sitting in her room. Elle was tired, and she began drifting off. That's when the nightmare started.

_A little red-headed girl stood in her kitchen, chewing on a poptart. Her mom was in the next room on the phone. The door opened up and the red-head shrunk. She ran and hid behind the couch in the next room, as if that could save her from the torment to follow._

_"__Where are you, you little bitch."_

_Loud footsteps stomped through the hallway, ever growing closer and louder, and louder and closer. The woman in the next room hung up the phone and ran to stop the man._

_"__Garret, don't!"_

_"__Get out of my way, Sylvia."_

_A slap was heard as the woman fell to the floor, her cheek red from the blow. The man, stinking of booze and drugs, marched over to the couch and lifted the cushions up. The red-headed child shrunk back as he spotted her._

_Grabbing her by the hair, the man dragged her out into the room. The woman screamed and begged him not to as he slapped the girl across the cheeks._

_"__Garret, she's only seven. For the love of God, stop!"_

_"__Shut up!"_

Elle jerked awake, tears staining her face. That wasn't even the worst of his crimes. He'd turned into a monster, and in the end, proven that his daughter followed in his footsteps. She'd done the unthinkable. She'd put an end to his abuse in the most extreme way possible.

And no one knew. It was her little secret. The blood on her hands was hers, and hers alone.

"Are you alright, Elle," Steve asked in concern.

"Please, please don't come any closer," Elle begged.

"Why?"

"Just don't!"

"Alright, I won't," Steve assured her, "but tell me what's wrong."

"I- I can't," she shook her head. Her red hair bounced around her face as she shook it in emphasis.

"It's almost lunch time," Steve tried, "Do you want to head downstairs to eat?"

"I'm not hungry."

* * *

_A/N: Those Psychological Evaluations could get really annoying. They asked them three times a day when I was in the hospital. It got real old real fast, haha. Remember, I've been through a lot, so if you ever need to talk, I'm here. Send me a PM and we can talk about anything, I promise. I'm here._

_Love,_

_Silz_


	7. Bloodied Hands

_There's something inside me_  
_That pulls beneath the surface_  
_Consuming, confusing_  
_This lack of self control I fear, is never ending._

_**Crawling by Linkin Park**_

* * *

Tony knocked on the kid's door around nine o'clock that evening. Natasha had been with her for several hours through dinner, which she also declined to attend, and now it was his turn to take over. He hadn't really talked to Elle much yet and was strangely eager to get to know her. She intrigued him.

"You are relieved, Nat," he nodded quietly, noticing the girl was lying in her bed.

Natasha got up and left the room silently, leaving Tony on the floor of the room to think.

"I'm not asleep."

"I wasn't sure," Tony admitted, "What are you doing?"

"Lying down."

"Obviously," Tony smirked, "I mean what are you thinking about?"

_"__Daddy, stop! You're hurting me!"_

Elle could hear the girl from the next high-rise over. Her father was at it again. And here Elle was, unable to do anything. It was maddening.

"Have you ever known something horrible was happening, but not been able to do anything about it, Mr. Stark?"

"First of all," Tony said, "No more of this 'Mr. Stark' nonsense. I'm Tony. Second of all, yes. Many times."

"What did you do," Elle asked quietly.

Tony shrugged, "I did something about it."

Elle nodded. If only it were that easy.

"Why," Tony asked, narrowing his eyes, "What's going on, Elle?"

"Nothing, sir."

Tony looked at her suspiciously. Elle smirked, she could hear Tony's brain going a mile a minute trying to figure out what was going on. But suddenly it started again. The girl next door. She couldn't have been over nine years old from what Elle could tell. The whimpering was enough to set Elle off.

Elle started to cry, flashbacks taking over her mind. Red, red was all around her now. Flashes of blood, the sound of gurgling as someone choked on an open wound across their neck. Scrambling arms, flailing around her. A cackling laughter.

Tony approached her in concern as she gripped at her head in pain and fear and anger. Suddenly, though, Tony went flying back, hitting his head on the wall and dropping unconscious to the ground. Elle stood on her bed, eyes blazing. Things in the room began spinning, crashing into the walls. A lamp shattered as it hit a corner of a dresser. Slowly Tony began regaining consciousness.

"Holy shit."

He ran over to the door and got out of the room.

"Jarvis, get someone up here, now. Preferably with one of their stun-guns."

Peaking back in the room to check up on the girl, he was just in time to see a large black radio smash into the girl's head. This knocked her off balance, causing her to black out. Everything that had been hovering and spinning dropped to the ground in finality. Tony, oblivious to the small cut on his head, rushed inside just as Bruce, Natasha, Steve, and Clint all arrived on their floor, guns up and ready to fire.

Massive amounts of blood were pouring out of Elle's head and Bruce was the first to rush inside, carefully picking his way around the objects. He grabbed a blanket from her bed and wrapped Elle's scalp with it, careful not to smother her. Steve was busy checking over Tony, but Clint and Natasha were surveying the carnage of the room.

"Agent Love can't get here soon enough," Clint muttered.

Natasha agreed whole-heartedly. She wanted to help this girl, really, if only to help make up for the sins she'd committed with the Red Room and KGB. Surely helping a teenage girl manage some new powers got some red out of her ledger? But was this girl beyond help?

"She's slowly going crazier," Steve murmured.

Tony shook his head, "Something set her off. I want to know what."

"She's dangerous," Steve argued, "I'm calling Fury tomorrow. She needs out of here. She needs professional help!"

"We ARE the help," Tony pointed out, "That's why Fury put her under our care."

Steve wasn't convinced.

"Agent Ellis Love gets here tomorrow night," Natasha told them, "Let's give her a shot."

"Fine," Steve relented, "I want this girl to be safe and healthy as much as any of us, but she's also a risk to this team."

That next morning, everything Steve had been dreading occurred. Doctor Doom had sent several legions of doombots to New York and the Avengers were called in to handle it. Problem was, Pepper was in DC. They had to leave the girl alone.

"We'll be back soon," Tony told Elle who was just waking up from the result of last night's mental catastrophe, "Don't worry."

Elle nodded and sat up in bed. The Avengers rushed out onto the street and into the next few blocks where the carnage was occurring. But Elle had no intentions of staying put.

She knew what she had to do. Last night's flashbacks had assured her of it. She'd done it once, she could do it again. And this time, with her new powers, should didn't even need to get her fingers dirty.

Elle focused her mind. Never had she been so sure of what she wanted to do that her brain began working together, her new powers responding to her orders. She searched the nearby high-rise for the abuser. It was time he got a taste of his own medicine.

There he was. Sitting in his living room, no one in sight. Closing her eyes tighter, she reached into his mind. It took several minutes of fighting with his consciousness, but eventually she managed to take hold. She was in control now. And there was something she had to do.

Elle used her connection to order the man into his kitchen. Another quick thought and the man grabbed a butcher's knife. He held it up to his throat and slowly pulled it across his neck. Once again, he dragged it but this time much faster and with much more force. His jugular split.

Blood poured out over the countertops and onto the floor. He gagged on his own blood, desperate for breath. But instead, the blood began pouring out onto the kitchen counters and into his own lungs, drowning himself. Falling to the floor, the knife clattered into a pool of the scarlet liquid.

Elle struggled to release the man now that the deed had been done. She didn't want to find out what would happen if her consciousness was inside the man when he died. It came close, but at last she broke free. The strain caused her to fall to her knees on the floor of the medical bay in the tower. Jarvis inquired of her if she was alright.

"I'm fine Jarvis. Just fine."


	8. Agent Love

_A/N: Sorry for such a long delay between updates. School hit, and I only have time for one story, which means this falls to the "rare moments that I have extra time" category while the Changeling remains my main focus. If you find it in your heart, please review. Who knows, maybe it'll inspire me to update faster! Love, Silz!_

* * *

Elle was sitting on her med, seeminly not having moved throughout the entire time the Avengers were gone when they got back to the tower. Elle had her eyes closed, as if meditating. In actuality, she was wrestling for control of her mind. The voices were getting stronger again, threatening to throw her overboard and conquer her mind.

"Elle," Natasha said, "We're back!"

"Need… help…"

"Why," Clint asked, "What's wrong?"

He and Nat had come to see Elle.

"Voices," she screeched.

"Alright," Natasha nodded, "Hmm."

"I know," Clint nodded, "Let me tell you about my time in the circus."

Elle opened her eyes in surprise and nodded, still gripping her head.

"I was little when my parents died-"

Elle's face contorted as images of spilt blood flashed into her mind.

Clint noted this change immediately and wondered why this was. He mentally told himself to look into it later.

"-and I was sent with my brother to live in an orphanage. But when I was 9 and Barney was 11, we decided we'd had enough of it and escaped, running off with the circus."

* * *

Elle was in the kitchen coloring when there came a ring of a doorbell. Tony asked Jarvis who it was.

"According to her, she is Agent Ellis Love, of SHIELD's Team Black."

"We'll go get her," Natasha said quickly, pulling Clint up with her from the kitchen table and away from his cellphone.

Natasha and Clint made their way to the elevator and down the tower to the reception area on the ground floor. Sitting in one of the many waiting chairs was a woman dressed in black jeans, a black tank top, and a black leather jacket. Her black hair fell to her shoulders, wisping around her in cascading waves. Her blues eyes danced as the light hit them.

"Agent Romanoff, Agent Barton, I presume," she asked, walking forward towards them, "Agent Ellis Love, at your service."

"Good to meet you Agent Love," Clint nodded, shaking her hand, "Why don't you come with us and we can discuss the issue at hand."

Love agreed and together the three SHIELD agents made their way back into the elevator. Clint pressed Level 3, a floor entirely made up of conference rooms, and soon they arrived at their destination: a small, quiet room to the right of the elevator with a StarkBoard on the wall to show Love pictures of the damage that Elle had caused.

"Take a seat," Natasha gestured. She and Clint stood near the Board.

"This first picture is an image taken of the subject, Elle Daring, when she was first brought in."

Ellis Love examined the photo. The girl looked deathly white, unconscious in a SHIELD med-bay. Her arm was wrapped in gauze. But Agent Love was surprised that a girl this small and young could be causing much trouble at all.

"This is the girl?"

"Looks can be deceiving, Agent," Natasha nodded, "She has tremendous power, as I'm sure you were briefed on. She's an Inhuman, a species we know very little about genetically. She's developed these telepathic powers that are manifesting in uncontrollable ways."

"Has she shown any indication of being able to control her powers?"

"Not that we are aware of. She's sometimes able to keep her powers from surfacing, but, correct me if I'm wrong Nat, she hasn't shown any indication that she can actually control her powers to use them."

Natasha agreed.

"So that's where I come in," Agent Love nodded, "Is the girl stable?"

"At the moment," Natasha told her.

"Then I suggest we get the initial meeting over with and then figure out where I'll be living."

"Agreed."

Natasha and Clint led Agent Love out of the room and up to the kitchen. Inside where Tony and Elle. Elle was still coloring a mandala but both people looked up when the three SHIELD agents entered the room.

"Tony, Elle, this is Agent Ellis Love," Natasha introduced Team Black's member.

"Mr. Stark," Agent Love shook the man's hand, "And you must be Elle?"

"Yes," she nodded hesitantly, "Are you here to help me?"

"Yes."

"You- you have these powers too?"

"Yes," Love nodded, "I'm telepathic to."

"How?"

"We don't know really," Love told her, "They call me "gifted.""

"They?"

"SHIELD."

Elle stopped her questioning and went back to her coloring.

_"Daddy's dead?"_

_"Yeah, Daddy's dead."_

_"Thank you Lord."_

_"Yeah, we're safe now, darling. We're safe."_

Elle smiled. The girl was safe. She was safe.

"What's got you smiling," Tony asked her curiously.

Elle jerked her head up and stared at Tony.

"Nothing!"

"Nothing?"

Elle glared at him.

"Okay, okay," Tony held up his hands, "Nothing!"

Elle went back to coloring.

After that, Tony Stark and Natasha Romanoff showed Agent Ellis Love to the floor where she'd be staying for the next week or two. Clint stayed behind with Elle.

"You doing alright, kid?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Steve burst in from the elevator, sweating and gross.

"Really, go take a shower, Rogers," Clint wrinkled his nose.

"Sorry," Steve muttered but he showed no sign of turning around, "I'm just getting some more water. Then I'll be right out, I swear."

"Do you like my picture, Steve," Elle showed Steve her picture of a nature mandala.

Steve turned around to look at it after pulling a pitcher of lemon water out of the fridge. He wanted to like this girl, really, but in the back of his mind he couldn't help but think about how dangerous she was.

"I know. I am dangerous," she sighed, putting her head in her hands in frustration.

Steve looked at her in surprise, "Yes. Yes you are. But that doesn't make you any less of a person. Heck, I'm dangerous. Clint's dangerous. Bruce is SUPER dangerous. And we stick together."

He realized as he was saying this that it was true- they were all dangerous. That didn't make it any less important that they stick together. He had to give this girl a chance.

"And yes," he smiled, "I like your picture."


	9. The Dream World

_A/N: I'm having so much sadistic fun playing with this character._

After dinner, Elle was in bed and Pepper was taking a turn watching her. The rest of the Tower's inhabitants plus Ellis Love were in the main lounge. Tony had broken out his newly renovated mini-bar and drinks were passed around.

"Vodka over here," Natasha raised her hand as Tony asked what everyone wanted.

"I'll take one as well," Ellis Love seconded her.

Natasha smirked, "I like you already. Clint can't hold his hard liquor."

Clint protested but indeed, he merely asked for a beer. Tony smirked as he passed one over to the archer. Bruce didn't take any alcohol, Steve had a glass of red wine, and Tony himself opted for a beer like Clint.

"So, Agent Love," Steve nodded as he took a sip of his wine, "How long have you worked with SHIELD?"

"For quite a while now," Ellis told them, "When I was 18, I was approached by SHIELD and questioned about my apparent telepathy. When I confirmed my ability, they brought me in."

"What do you do," Bruce asked.

Agent Love shrugged, "Well, lots of things. I'm officially part of a strike team called Team Black that deals with "gifted" individuals. But SHIELD brings me in for plenty of other things like interrogations. As you can imagine, being telepathic makes interrogation much easier."

Clint nodded, "I don't think I've ever worked with Team Black. I've worked with other strike teams though. You guys are truly gifted at what you do."

"Some of us more than others," Agent Love agreed, "Team Black is the best of the best, I assure you."

"Good. Because Elle needs help," Natasha told her seriously.

Ellis scooted up in her chair, "Right. What do we know about Elle? And I mean things that aren't in her SHIELD file."

"Obviously you know she's an Inhuman," Clint nodded, "She was found after trying to die by suicide. She used to hear voices-"

"-To that end, she was diagnosed with mild Schizophrenia several years ago but the diagnosis was covered up by her parents. I only recently found out," Bruce revealed, "She was never treated."

Ellis nodded, "That's good to know. I'll update the SHIELD file accordingly. Anything about her personality you can tell me?"

"She's got a slight fear, more of an aversion, towards men. We're still trying to figure out why," Natasha added.

"Anything about her family?"

"Her father disappeared when she was 8," Clint told Ellis Love, "SHIELD isn't sure what happened. He fell off the grid."

"He just fell off the grid," Ellis asked in surprise, "No one's heard anything from him?"

"Nope," Clint shook his head, "SHIELD's tried to find him ever since we brought Elle in, but it's been no use."

Jarvis spoke up, "Sir, Agent Carter is downstairs in the lobby."

"Send her up, J," Tony nodded.

Soon enough, Agent Sharon Carter was walking through the doors of the lounge, her white dress and blue heels complemented by her blonde hair and blue flower clip. Bruce noted how Steve immediately sat straighter and his breathing intensified, but Bruce didn't say anything. He even managed to suppress a smirk at Steve's behavior.

"Hey guys," Sharon smiled, "Sorry I got in late. Bobbi and I were hanging in DC for the last couple days and it was hard to get away. Also, the police stopped me on the street- apparently a man was found dead in his apartment by his wife and child."

Clint frowned at the mention of Bobbi, but no one asked questions, instead focusing on the latter half of her conversation, "Murdered?"

"They suspect suicide."

They nodded sadly.

"So, you must be Agent Love," Sharon shook the woman's hand, "I'm Agent Sharon Carter."

"Ellis Love," the other agent nodded.

"So what were we talking about," Sharon smiled, sitting down next to Bruce on the couch.

"Elle Daring," Ellis told her.

Sharon nodded, growing somber, "Ah yes, I was briefed on the girl's case. There's a dozen rumors about her flying around the Triskelion at the moment."

"Anyways," Ellis turned back to the Avengers, "What can you tell me about her personality-wise?"

"She's quiet," Steve told her, "and pretty serious. She also acts really rashly."

"Well, I hope I can help her get out of her shell and learn to control her telepathy," Agent Love nodded, "If you don't mind, I think I'll get some sleep. I've got a lot of work ahead of me tomorrow."

"Good night!"

The Avengers and Agent 13 stayed where they were as Agent Love left, content to sit in each other's company. Clint flipped on the news. The Avengers settled around the TV and drank their alcohol, each trying to forget the long days of recent.

Meanwhile, Pepper was upstairs in Elle's bedroom, reading a book as the girl slept. Little did she realize the kind of dreams Elle was having.

For as Elle's telepathy increased, her dreams adapted to it as well. Her mind began reaching out as she slept, reaching onto other consciousness'. She didn't realize the danger she posed to society as she slept; the danger of her unconscious desires overcame her during the dark hours of the morning.

At the moment, she was dreaming about a couple in the high rise over. They were sleeping together as their two daughters slept in the next room over. Elle resented the girls for having a dad that loved them. That was something she'd never had. So she decided, subconsciously and in her dream world, to do something about it.

So she had the man get up and go into his kitchen. In her dream of course. She had him grab a breadknife, and pushing it against his throat, she slit it with her mind. Blood spurted out and sprayed onto the kitchen walls. He choked, coughing up blood as he tried to breath. His jugular was split.

Satisfied, Elle allowed her dream to fade. At least in her dream world she could exact vengeance on the world without lasting repercussions. Or so she thought.


	10. Cereal with Milk

_A/N: Chapter Ten! Just celebrated chapter 200 on The Changeling, but I'm just as excited reaching chapter 10 on this work as 200 on that one. Drop me a review if you want to celebrate with me! I love you guys so much! I wanted to thank you, my loyal readers, as because of you I've been asked to take part in the Freelancer Collaboration: the Avenger Games. I'm so excited for it! Thank you so much for your loyalty!_

Elle stretched as she rose from her bed the next morning. With a yawn, she pulled the covers off and put on her slippers. She walked from her bed over to her attached bathroom and decided to run a bath.

"What are you doing up so early," Clint asked her, following her into the bathroom.

"Really, Clint, do you have to be in here," she complained while starting the water.

Clint smirked, "I'll be right outside while you take your bath. But seriously, it's like five o'clock. Everyone else is still asleep!"

"Yeah well, I want to take a bubble bath."

Clint threw up his hands, "Whatever, kid."

He left the bathroom and sat down outside the door on the floor. He had traded off with Pepper about three hours ago, and since then he'd been reading the Lord of the Rings trilogy. He'd first read the books several years ago upon Bruce's insistence, and since then had come to love them.

Elle poured herself some bubbles and eased into the soaking tub. For a moment, all her cares melted away as the soap washed over her and enveloped her like a hug. The warm, scented water floated over her skin and gave her a million tiny kisses. The sound of the gentle lapping of the water lulled her into a quiet serenity.

"You doing alright in there," Clint asked through the door after about ten minutes of nothing.

"Mm hm," she smiled, her eyes closed.

"You know," Clint commented, "I'll talk to Bruce, but I think you're good enough to spend time on your own now."

"Really?"

That got her attention.

"Yeah," Clint nodded, "I mean, I don't think you need someone with you twenty-four-seven. Unless you think otherwise?"

"No, of course not!"

"Good. Then I'll see what I can do."

About ten minutes later, Clint heard the water going down the drain. Elle got out of the bath and dried herself off before she realized she'd forgotten to bring clothes in.

"Damn."

"What?"

"Forgot clothes."

"Tell me what you want and I'll grab you some," Clint offered.

"Just a tee-shirt and jeans."

"Right."

Clint gathered up all her articles of clothing and knocked on the bathroom door.

"Room service!"

Elle rolled her eyes and opened the door a crack to grab the clothes. She slipped them on and opened the door. Leaving the bathroom, she turned the light out. The sweet scent of freshly cut roses wafted from the door and into the bedroom.

"You look refreshed," Clint told her with a smirk.

"I feel it. I've never felt this good, at least not in a long time," Elle smiled, "What time is it?"

Clint checked his phone, "Six o'clock."

"Too early for breakfast," she asked with a frown.

"It's NEVER too early for breakfast," Clint replied with a smile.

The two went downstairs via the elevator and stopped in the lounge. There was a small kitchenette with breakfast foods for the mornings.

"What do you want?"

"Just milk and cereal please," Elle told him.

"Coming right up."

Steve came up the elevator from the gym. He had been doing his morning stretches.

"Aren't you all up early," he said in surprise.

"That's what I told her," Clint nodded as he poured the girl her breakfast.

"I just wasn't tired. I had a really good sleep," Elle smiled.

"What about now," Steve asked in concern, "How are your… your voices?"

"Surprisingly quiet."

"That's good!"

Or was it?

"Yeah," Elle agreed.

Steve grabbed a glass of orange juice and made some toast while Clint got out a chocolate Poptart and some milk. Elle sat at the bar while the men stood on the other side facing her. The lights were on low because it was just barely starting to grow light out.

"Jarvis told me you guys were up," Sharon smiled as she walked out of the elevator, "Hello, you must be Elle Daring. I'm Agent Sharon Carter, but you can call me Sharon."

"Nice to meet you," Elle shook the blonde woman's hand.

"Pleasure's all mine," Sharon shook her head, "So, what's for breakfast?"

"Whatever you can find," Steve smiled.

"I'll have jelly toast please!"

"Coming right up," Steve assured her.

Clint rolled his eyes at how eager Steve was to impress Sharon. He himself had known the woman for years now. They'd met back when he'd been dating Bobbi Morse, who was a friend of Sharon's. After he and Bobbi… split… Clint and Sharon had remained friends. They simply avoided the topic of Bobbi Morse all together.

Elle could hear what Steve was thinking and she smirked. The poor man- so eager to impress this girl. But Sharon evidently thought highly of him too, so who knows? Maybe one day the two would get together. All Elle knew was that Steve had a BIG crush on Sharon. And Sharon thought he was a 'such a gentleman.'

"What's on the agenda for today," Sharon asked them.

"Honestly I think it's up to Agent Love," Steve shrugged, "Right?"

"Yeah probably," Clint confirmed, "She's going to tell us how best to help Elle here."

Elle shrugged, "I only hope it works."

"It will, hun," Sharon assured her, "It will. Have faith."

Elle nodded.

Clint reached behind the bar of the kitchenette and pulled out the remote for the small TV behind them. Switching it on, the news came up.

"_The police are calling them "Serial Suicides" until further notice. Again, if you are just tuning in, two more men have been found dead in their kitchens this morning. Local police are investigating, but they claim that there is nothing connecting the victims other than how they died. But all results are negative for murder, so they have to be suicides."_

"What's that," Sharon asked, "Two more? So what's that- three?"

"Yeah, that's three," Steve confirmed with a frown.

"Serial suicides," Clint furrowed his brow, "Is that even possible?"

"Apparently," Sharon shrugged, "Nothing the local police can't handle, I'm sure. NYPD is pretty good."

"You're right," Steve agreed.

Elle didn't say anything.

"You alright, Elle," Clint asked her.

"What," she shook her head to clear it, "Oh, yeah, sure. I'm fine."

"You sure," Steve frowned.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine."

Clint shrugged and turned back to the TV. He flipped through the channels until he found a replay of last night's New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers hockey game. He finished off his milk and Poptart and got out a second chocolate one.

"How many of those have you had, Clint," Sharon asked with a smile.

Clint protested, "This is only my second, woman!"

Elle rolled her eyes, "Yeah, but you're thinking of having a third."

"Oh quit using your psychic powers, kid."

They all laughed at that.

"Jarvis," Clint said, "Transfer this game over to the big TV."

"Done, sir."

The big TV by the couches turned on to the game and Clint and the others retired over to it having finished their meal. They sat on the couches and watched the hockey game. Soon, Bruce joined them and had his breakfast too.

"How are you feeling this morning, Elle," he asked her seriously.

"Fine, actually," she smiled, "almost like something last night refreshed my mind."

"Hmm," he smiled, "Well, that's good."

Or was it?


	11. Devil Within

**_A/N: OH MY GOSH. So this chapter... just... oh my gosh. I don't know. Don't kill me. Leave me your reaction at the bottom!_**

_I will keep quiet  
You won't even know I'm here  
You won't suspect a thing  
You won't see me in the mirror  
But I crept into your heart  
You can't make me disappear  
Til I make you_

_Devil Within by Digital Daggers_

* * *

Around ten o'clock, Elle and Ellis Love retired to one of Tony's soundproof rooms and sat down on a couple of bean bag chairs. They sat across from one another and Ellis put on her best smile for the girl.

"So, Elle," she started, "what can I help you with first?"

"How to block out voices."

They spent a good three hours practicing various techniques, to no avail. Ellis grew increasingly frustrated that none of her techniques were working for the girl. From counting backwards, reciting the alphabet, all the way to having Ellis place a mental barrier in her mind, nothing seemed affective.

They decided to call it a day after working all the way through lunch, and Elle went to grab a bite to eat and as she walked through the hallway down to the kitchen, something happened that hadn't in a long time.

_"Hello Elle,"_ a voice said, _"Miss us?"_

_"We're back,"_ another voice added.

_"You couldn't get off that easily,"_ the first voice laughed.

"No," Elle whimpered, "No."

The voices, her original ones, they were back. Elle shrank against the wall in fear and anger and resentment. Why couldn't she be normal? Why couldn't her voices leave her alone?

Well Elle knew one thing: she couldn't tell the Avengers. They couldn't know about this. Not the day that she would finally be taken off Severe and placed on Low, when she could finally be by herself.

Of course, being by herself was the last thing that should be happening to her at the moment, but in her current state of mind she didn't realize this to be true. Instead she wanted to simply withdraw from everyone around her, which was what she planned to do after eating lunch.

In the kitchen she wasn't alone. Clint and Natasha were at the kitchen bar, Clint standing on one side and Nat sitting on the other. Elle walked in and smiled, faking contentment.

"How'd the lessons go, Elle?"

"Not well," she admitted, "Ellis couldn't find anything to help me."

"Yet," Agent Love added, coming up behind her, "Couldn't find anything YET."

Elle nodded.

_"It's pointless," _a voice told her, _"nothing will come of this."_

_"You need another plan,"_ another voice added.

Elle shifted position.

"Elle?"

"What?"

"I asked what you wanted for lunch," Natasha told her with a frown.

"Oh, sorry," Elle chuckled nervously, "I'll just have an apple and cheese, please."

"Got it."

Elle sat down at the kitchen table and waited or the super-spy to get Elle her lunch.

_"They don't love you,"_ a voice told her.

Elle frowned, they did love her. They had to love her. She looked around at their faces and saw nothing but concern and interest. But was that just because she was their job? Their new protégé? Could she really trust them?

"Here you are," Natasha handed her a cut apple and some American cheese.

"Thanks," she smiled.

After lunch, Elle decided to go grab a nap. As she went up to her room, Bruce caught her in the hall.

"Alright, Elle," Bruce nodded, "You're free to stay on your own now. But you have to check in with someone every 4 hours when you're awake, okay?"

"Deal."

Bruce smiled and left her to walk to the elevator. She took it up to her room and got out on her floor. Elle decided to check her voicemail before heading for a nap. Surprisingly, there was a message on her phone.

_"Hello Elle. Who I am is unimportant. All you need know is we are a group interested in your well-being. We know of your predicament and we are able to offer a solution, if you so desire one. Meet us in Central Park at 40.792580 by -73.958789 at midnight any day for the next week. We'll be waiting."_

Elle furrowed her brow as she turned off the voicemail. Who could possible want to help her? Who could even KNOW of her affliction? This intrigued her. But for now she would sleep.

Her dreams were full of death again. Blood spurting everywhere, men screaming in agony as she made them pay for the way her father had treated her. The slitting of throats and the subtle cuts, all reminiscent of her first kill, plagued her dream state.

Elle woke up quickly. She glanced at the clock: 11:45 PM. She'd slept straight through dinner. Then, something occurred to her. Those suicides? Those serial suicides? They were her. She was killing people in her sleep. Elle stumbled out of bed and down the hall to the elevator.

_"You are pathetic."_

_"Worthless."_

_"Lousy."_

_"Murderer."_

She pressed the button for the Lounge where she had a feeling at least a few people would be.

_"Evil little child."_

_"Death monger."_

_"Witch."_

_"Filthy whore."_

Finally the doors opened and she stumbled in, grasping at the air for help.

"What the hell," Tony leapt up from the couch and ran over to her, "Jarvis, get Agent Love up here, STAT!"

"Yes sir."

"Help, PLEASE," Elle screamed.

Suddenly something came over her. With her mind she grabbed a bread knife from the knife holder. It flew into her open palm and she caught it. Her eyes blazing in anger and fear, she brandished the knife towards anyone who tried to get near her.

"Stay away! I don't want to hurt anyone! But the voices, they're telling me to hurt you," she hissed in fear.

_"Kill them, Elle."_

_"Finish them off just like you killed those filthy men."_

_"They don't deserve to live."_

_"Murder them."_

"NO! NO!"

By now, the Lounge was filled. Everyone was there, even Agent Love. Everyone had heard the commotion and wanted to know what was up.

"Elle, put the knife down," Clint said, his gun cocked and ready to fire.

Elle noticed the gun, "You're going to shoot me?"

"I don't want to," he assured her.

"You're going to shoot me!"

_"See, they hate you."_

_"They want you dead."_

_"Why can't you just see that?"_

"I thought you were my friends," Elle cried, "I thought you loved me!"

"Elle, we don't want to hurt you," Natasha assured her as she too brandished her weapon against Elle.

"You do," Elle screamed, "You filthy liars!"

Suddenly the lights in the tower sparked. Elle was furious now. Objects began floating and spinning around. Elle reached out her hand and all the guns flew towards her. She held them up in the air with her telekinesis and cocked them towards the Avengers.

They wanted to hurt her? She would hurt them instead.

_"Do it Elle."_

_"Pull the trigger."_

_"Kill those filthy liars."_

Elle sobbed. She had been betrayed.

Suddenly she looked at the clock. 11:55. She thought of the voicemail she'd received. If there was someone out there who could help her, she wanted in. She would go meet the mysterious voice behind the message. And she would go tonight.

"Sleep," she commanded the Avengers.

Surprisingly, they fell unconscious all around her.


	12. Hail HYDRA

_A/N: I love Elle so much. This story is so much fun._

* * *

Elle rushed out the door of the tower, through the empty reception area. Tears streamed down her face and she wiped away her tears with her sleeve.

_"Go, go, Elle!"_

_"Find the man who wants to help you!"_

_"Trust us."_

Elle didn't even wait for the crosswalk to turn green before dashing across the street. She ran and ran, barefoot, to the coordinates that she'd been given. Across Central Park, through the trees, down the hills and up the hills she ran.

Finally she reached the coordinates, according to her phone, and she stood. Glancing at the time, it read 12:15. Was she too late? Elle sniffled.

"Please! Please, I'm here!"

"Elle Daring."

Elle turned around at the slick male voice and looked into the shadow of a tree.

"Yes?"

"It's a pleasure to meet you," he said, coming forward into the moonlight.

He was rather tall, with dark brown hair and a well-defined jaw line.

"I am Sunil Bakshi," he told her, coming forward and holding out his hand, "I am a great admirer of yours."

She took his hand, "Elle Daring. You said you could help me?"

"Yes. Yes I can."

Suddenly she felt a pang in her hand and she looked up at him in surprise. Black spots began forming in her eyes as sleep overcame her and she fainted. Bakshi caught her as she fell. Sneaking through the park carrying her bridal style, he placed her in the back of a black truck and closed up the doors.

Hopping into the passenger seat, he told the driver to drive on.

"After all, Von Struker is waiting to see his prize. And you don't keep the head of HYDRA waiting."

* * *

"What happened," Tony demanded to no one in particular, "She seemed perfectly fine!"

"Well she obviously wasn't," Steve rubbed his neck.

"Where'd she go," Clint sighed, looking out the window down at the streets.

It was about six o'clock in the morning and everyone had finally regained consciousness. Natasha came down the hall from the elevator and spoke up.

"I might have an answer."

Natasha pressed a button on her phone and briefed them on what they were about to hear.

"I hacked into Elle's email and found nothing, so I decided to check out her voicemail. This is what I heard."

She played the voicemail where Bakshi talked about HYDRA's offer to Elle and everyone was quiet.

"I'd know that voice anywhere," Natasha frowned, "That's Sunil Bakshi, one of HYDRA's leaders."

"At least we know where and why she left," Darcy chipped in.

"What does this… HYDRA… want with Elle," Thor asked.

"To use her, I'm sure," Steve narrowed his eyes.

"Well, what are we going to do about this," Darcy demanded.

Pepper looked at them like they were crazy, "She tried to KILL us. And you want to help her?!"

"She wasn't in her right mind," Clint defended the girl, "She didn't know what she was doing!"

"I'll put in a call to Fury," Sharon told them, walking a little ways away and dialing her phone.

"I never should have pulled my gun," Clint sighed, sitting down on the couch.

Natasha came over and rubbed his back, "Clint, she pulled a knife. What were you supposed to do?"

Clint shrugged with a sigh and leaned back into the couch.

"Fury says to come aboard the Helicarrier immediately," Sharon told them, coming back over.

"Alright. Everyone hop on board the Quinjet," Clint nodded, getting up, "Though I suggest we change into work clothes first…"

They all looked at what they were wearing. Half the guys didn't even have shirts on. After all, they had all hopped up from sleeping and stormed into the lounge.

"Everyone meet on the landing platform in ten minutes. Bring your suits and weapons," Natasha ordered.

"Pepper, Darcy, Jane," said Sharon, "The three of you are to come too."

Everyone split and went their separate ways to get changed.

* * *

When Elle woke, she was in a cage, a cell. A chain was attached to one of her ankles. But something was different.

There were no voices.

There was no background noise.

There were no screams.

"Ah, Elle," Bakshi said, coming to the barred door, "You're awake!"

"Why am I in here," she demanded.

"Just a precautionary measure," he assured her, "We weren't sure how your body was going to react to the serum we created to counteract your abilities."

"So, can you undo me then?"

"Of course," he nodded, unlocking the door and undoing the lock on her chain, "Follow me."

She was still barefoot and clothed in jeans and a tee-shirt. As Elle followed Bakshi, she looked around. There were many such cage cells as the one she had been in, and some were occupied. In one there was a teenage girl with large, brown wings. In another, a boy who could create fire. All of these were experiments of HYDRA's.

"What is this place?"

"All will be answered soon, Elle," Bakshi assured her, "Right in here."

He opened up a door on the right and the two of them went inside. In the room was a large conference table. At one end, with his back to them, stood a man with white hair.

"Baron, Elle Daring is here."

"Ah, good," the man turned around and said in his German accent, "Elle."

Elle looked the man up and down. He wasn't particularly tall or short. His monocle fit right in with his demeanor. She wondered what sort of man he was.

"Elle. I am Baron Von Struker, head of HYDRA. That is the organization you are with now. With your permission, we would like to run some tests on you."

"Sure," Elle nodded.

"Good. Follow Mr. Bakshi, and he will escort you."

* * *

"She tried to kill you?!"

"No," Clint corrected his boss, "No. Natasha and I pulled our guns on her and she got scared."

Fury shook his head, "This girl is bad news."

"She just needs help," Natasha protested.

Fury smirked humorlessly, "As I recall, last time our positions were reversed. I seem to remember that you two didn't want to help her."

"Yeah, well," Clint shrugged, "Things have changed."

"Evidently. So," Fury sighed, "What is it you want me to do?"

"We want permission to find her. She needs our help, especially now that HYDRA has her."

"Permission granted. How do you intend to start?"

"I can help with that," Ellis Love stepped forward, "I can search for her telepathically."

"Do it."


End file.
